The Osceola times., 1887-05-21
SENIOR CASTELAR,.
Pen Picture Of the Famous span,.h o..
PublIcist and statesu. se

Castelar, Is known Throughout \,
rope as really the most comple,. :. y
preston of Spanish eloquenca !. y,
rarries his worship of form almo..~
idolatry; his eloquence is musio !.
diction the slave of his ear. h.. -
or does not say thing; or ratbs,
says it better in one sense than n
other, according as it rounds or Az ~
not round period. He has a hsrmn'a
in his mind; he follows, obevsit -,
sarifices to it all that ofends. Hi
riods are strophes; it is necessarv,
hear in order to believe that hum,S
language without poetic measure .a a.a
thus approach the harmony of pos.s
and of song. He is more the a,,;.,
than the politician; he has not oplv ~
genius but the heart of the artist.n.
heart of child, incapable of enm;,s
or of malice. In all his speeches tbs,,
is not to be found an abusive epitbs,
in the Cortes he has never nrn
yoked serious personal encoun.
ter; has never recourse to a sa,ir.
nor ever makes use of ironv
into his most violent philippics he nevs,
infuses drop of gall; and this Is evi.
lence of the fact that Republican. an
opponent of every ministry, journal.
istic gladiator. the perpetual accuser Of
whomsoever holds power and of all wbo
are not fanatical for liberty. he has
made himself hated by no one. And
with all this, his speeches are enioyed
and never feared; his language is too
beautiful to be terrible, his character
too ingenious for him to exercise DO.
litical influence. He does not know
how to fence, to plot. to trim his sails
he is fitted only TO please and to shine
His eloquence when greatest is tender;
his most beautiful discourses draw
tears. For him the chamber is the.
ater; like a political improvisator, in
order to have full and calm inspira-
ton, he must speak at a certain hour,
upon a determined point and with an
allotted time Of liberty to himself. For
this reason, the day on which he is to
speak he has an understanding with
the president Of the Chamber that hs
turn will come when the galleries are
most crowded and all the deputies are
in their places, his own paper an
nouncing his speech the evening
previous, in order that ladies may
be able to provide themselves with
tickets. He has need of this excite
ment. Before speaking he is uneasy
and can not remain still for an instant
He enters the Chamber, leaves it, re-
enters, turns to 90 out. takes the round
of the corridors and library, where he
turns over the leaves Of q volume-in
a word, he is in fever of excitement
1t seems to him as If he could not utter
a syllable-that he must excite ridicule
and be hissed. In his mind no longer
remains single lucid idea of his
speech; every thing is confused; every
thing forgotten. .'How is your pulse!"
his friends inquire of him. with a
smile. The supreme moment arrived,
he springs to the floor, with head bent,
pale and trembling, like criminal
about to be executed, resigned to lose
in single moment the glory acquired
through so many years and with such
indefatigable labor At this instant
an enemy even would compassionate
his condition. He rises, throws a rapid
glance around him and speaks-"Sena-
torsr' He is safe; his courage is re-
stored to him; his brains is again un-
clouded! his speech rearranges itself in
his mind like long forgotten melody.
The president, the Cortes, the galleries
disappear; he sees only his gestures,
hears only his own voice; feels but the
irresistible flame that enkindles the
force of his own matchless eloquence. II
is beautiful to hear him say of himself
II do not see the walls of the apart
ment, even. i behold distant land,
and peoples which | have never seen
before" He speaks for hours together
and not Deputy leaves the hall, not 1
voice interrupts, not movement dis
tracts him. Not even when he violate
Parliamentary rules has the presiden
the courage to interrupt him. Clad il
robes of dazzling whiteness anC
crowned with roses, he portrays at viii
the image of the Republic; and mon
archists do not venture to protest, for
thus arraycd they even find her beauti
full Castelar, is lord of the assembly
He flashes and Eliminates, scintillate'
and beams like fcu d'artiiice; he pro
vokes a smile or he calls forth enthusi
site shouts, ending in the midst of al
outburst of applause. and vanishing
from the Chamber with his head in thu
clouds Such is this famous CASTELAR,
professor of history in the University
a most prolific writer on politics. ar
and religion, a publicst who draw
from American journals ten THOUSAND
dollars yearly; an acadcmician. unanl
mously elected by the Spanish Acad
emy, pointed out in thoroughfares
feted by the populace, loved by ever
his opponents, a young man, polished
generous, little vain and a fayorlt'
of fortune. -Ed,oards AmiceS.
Courting With Brass Band.